Guitar Hero II (Playstation 2)
Reason to be redundant
Ok, so this obviously isn’t the first Guitar Hero to hit the streets. Last year the original title pleasantly surprised many Sony Playstation 2owners, with a game that effectively blended old-school peripheral use and rhythm-based gameplay. The end result, although costing more than the average game when you include the guitar, was an immensely entertaining experience and a completely refreshing way to play games.
Guitar Hero II is the couch-potato gamer’s "take that" to accusations like, "You never did anything with your life." Although playing RedOctane's game won't exactly get you a million dollar mansion, sexy groupies or even a fine Italian sports car, it does make for a fun (albeit half-assed) attempt at guitar proficiency. The latest release improves on the original by offering a greater challenge, cooperative play and an expanded library of songs.
The premise of the game is really quite simple: take a well-built plastic device, add five colored buttons and a paddle (which simulates strumming), and you’ve got one helluva night with some rock and / or roll music. The game itself includes a massive list of hits from today and yesterday, including perennial favorites "Smoke on the Water" (Deep Purple), "More than a Feeling" (Boston) and "Take Me Out" (Franz Ferdinand).
How does it play? Well, like a mutant Frankenstein design of awesomeness - imagine an odd amalgamation of gameplay elements from both Tetris and the NES' Duck Hunt . Although the peripheral itself is no neon orange handgun, it does offer an experience that breaks away from the traditional controller. Like Tetris' blocks, musical notes scroll down as colored buttons, requiring the player to punch them accordingly along the guitar. Some visually impressive graphics flash in the background, and add a nice touch as the player moves from his / her garage to packed stadiums.
So, why is it “reason to be redundant”? Well, besides the fact that Guitar Hero II gives players an opportunity to use the now outdated Playstation 2, the game reawakens the lost art of unique controllers. Although once a popular way to market games (the NES' light gun and glove are good examples), the method has clearly fallen by the wayside. For reviving such a cool way to play video games, we salute Guitar Hero II by making it our seventh entry into the top ten electronics items available this Christmas.
